Flames and feathers
by Raevi
Summary: Slightly AU, Companion fic to 'A witness to wishes', Yamamoto doesn't understand Tsuna's desire of flight
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is the third Drabble that belongs to the 'Flying or falling' and 'A witness to wishes' series. I advise you to read them first please! This contains minor coarse language so be warned. Enjoy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own khr in any way whatsoever**

* * *

"I wonder what would you do if you had wings, Tsunayoshi-kun?" Byakuran's words were as sweet as honey and as lethal as poison. And that always set him on edge. He knew, after all that had happened, he could still become the man he fought before. It reminded him a bit of Mukuro, who seemed to always be at least ten steps ahead in regards to manipulation and was as ruthless as a starved lion when pushed into a corner. But then again, he could trust Mukuro. He was capable to great compassion, evident by the small tight knitted group he kept at Kokuyo Land and the constant supply of illusions to replace Chrome's missing organs. Byakuran though still remained a wild card, even with his growing loyalty towards Yuni.

"Would you like real wings... or would you like my wings? Very convenient that they are made out of flames." His 'wings' too were flames. He need to be justified though to use them. Otherwise Reborn would just scold him for wasting precious energy.

"... I don't know." He replied in an unsure shrug, unconsciously curling in upon himself. What didn't he know? What didn't he dream? Flying was ethereal. Almost senseless in its numbing caress, it was the parting of wind whips, sliding though weightless oceans that latched onto the void of space.

It was peace. It calmed the turmoil that grew and grew the longer his feet were tethered to the ground. It was in that sense that he could never truly desire for his friend's power over earth. He was the sky. He did not like being chained.

"I think it is silly to act untrue to yourself, Tsuna-kun."

* * *

"You seen to be staring off into the distance lately Tsuna. Anything troubling you?" Said brunet immediately pulled himself from his thoughts to be met by the concerned face of Yamamoto.

"A-a-ah... Nothing really." Accompanied by a sheepish smile, he unconsciously ran a hand through his spikes. Both he and Yamamoto were currently both upon the roof of Namimori. Lately, his rain guardian had been preoccupied with fulfilling numerous favours for the baseball team, leaving no time for them to meet. Today though was one of the few breaks the other teen received and since Gokudera needed to resupply his dynamites again, Yamamoto had taken it upon himself to look out for Tsuna. And this meant following him up to the roof. Leaning against the railing both boys held onto the silence that accompanied the afternoon sun.

"...Were you scared?" The words were barely a whisper and the baseballer had to strain his ears.

"Of what Tsuna? You know I'm not afraid of anything with the mafia game, you know? If I have to fight to protect everyone, then I'll gladly do it in a heartbeat." The baseballer had seen the distress clearly engraved on his friend's face many times. It was unavoidable. His friend was the definition of a saint and they all knew he would go to all lengths as to keep them safe. He was their boss, their sky. Encompassing all. That still did not stop the stress though, the tears of anguish at the everlasting scars left by traumatic memories or the bruises and injuries from fighting for survival. Survival for both themselves and their family. Tsuna could not stop those. Yamamoto saw him try though, latching onto a calm and all accepting smile that disarmed his friends/guardians in mere seconds yet carried the weight if the world behind those lips. He did not want him to regret involving him though, cause even if Tsuna did, he would not have it any other way.

Looking back to the brunet, he watched as a sense of calm grew within pools of sienna.

"No... I mean this." Given no chance to act, Yamamoto watched as the brunet pulled himself over the fence with well practiced ease. It caused his heart to freeze and drop into the pits of his stomach.

Yes, he was terrified.

"...What are you doing?" Yamamoto whispered in dread. His lungs felt exhausted of all air. He felt himself shudder, misery accompanying a hollow gasp that made him stumble back in shock.

He remembered this. He remembered this quite well. The sea of faces that watched as he stood outside the barrier, giving him half hearted cries for him to return to solid ground. They had not wanted him, they wanted what he represented. They had smothered him in a facade he did not desire... And it slowly suffocated him.

He remembered the metallic bite of the fence bars, digging into his back as to remind him of the oncoming pain he would experience. the sweat that dripped around his hands as he broke into a nervous wreck. Did he truly want this?

He remembered when he returned home that day. Students in his class were always prone to gossip and it did not surprise him that word had reached his father's ears before he got home. The shop had closed for the day when he had arrived which served only to curdle the amassing puddle of dread in his stomach. As he shuffled in, he was met with the rigid form of his father whose eyes held a sad quality to them. A couple steps more brought him into the man's arms and darkness pooled into his vision as he began to cry for the first time in many years. Though he did not mention the tears that fell from above, he was just simply grateful.

And he remembered the determined call that broke the spell upon him as he plummeted to the ground.

"I'm gonna save you like my life depends on it."

He regretted that day with every fibre of his being. How could he had done that?! Just frivolously throwing everything away just cause he broke his arm in an accident. It made no sense now, especially after joining Tsuna, Hayato-kun and everyone else in the 'family'. Then again, if it wasn't for that day, he wouldn't have become close to all of them as he is now...

"It must be nice to be the rain. To be so calm and cleansing... To hover in such a tranquil fashion," He gave the brunet a confused stare, earning him a chuckle as his friend glanced back. Sienna pools raked him over in interest before turning upwards.

"And then fall towards the earth." The words were almost hollow of any emotion besides a tinge of sadness. It unconsciously pulled him forwards as if each were polar opposite magnets. Why was he saying this? He knew what being the rain guardian entitled and the characteristics of his flames. It was his job to calm, to cleanse all the festering sadness and anger that plagued his friends. And he wasn't going to let them down.

"Tsuna, what's wrong?" A pause that accompanied his words were then distrusted by turmoil.

"I think I may be jealous..." Time slowed. Yamamoto felt his body fill to the brim with icy water as he watched the fingers unlatch. He couldn't move! Move dammit! He couldn't let this happen. He jerked slightly, his body frigid under invisible bars. Move! Move! He can't make the same mistake he did! Wind caressed sienna spikes as the lithe body tilted forwards. Arms outstretched, Yamamoto could hear his heart cry out.

"NO!" Lashing forwards, he tumbled over his frozen feet. His friend was almost out of sight, out of reach. Another cry surged from his mouth before a streak of black intercepted his vision. Within a blink, Yamamoto watched as the brunet was pulled upwards, feet planting themselves dangerously on the roof's rim. A very recognisable black jacket fluttered above, acting as a guardian angel toward the wayward brunet. Lungs that before raged with adrenaline gradually settled as he peered at the new form.

"You're late today, Hibari-san." Yamamoto watched curiously as the disciplinary committee leader glare at Tsuna's words before grabbing the petite brunet and dragging him within the fence boundary. Said brunet became limp in the grip, allowing himself to be thrown to the roof in apparent anger.

"Ah! Hibari, be careful with Tsuna now," Yamamoto chuckled slightly with nerves, forcing his legs to close the gap between himself and the Tsuna who was no quietly lying on the ground. He shivered slightly at the death glare Hibari quickly aimed at him, observing how Hibari kept an unconscious eye on the immobile brunet. Ignoring said glare though, he quickly glanced over his friend. A disarming smile rang true on his face. It felt wrong.

"Stop causing trouble Sawada Tsunayoshi." Steel words that matched steel tonfa. Said brunet only chuckled before lifting himself up, dusting himself of any invisible dirt on his clothes.

"I do not mean to, Hibari-san." With that, Tsuna, with unknown confidence strode towards the roof door.

"You coming Yamamoto? I heard there is a new game at the arcade." Before following the brunet, he casted a quickly glance back towards the roof, to where shadows curdled around the lost expression on Hibari's face. The sun was indefinitely covered by a converging layer of lilac purple clouds that began to spread itself upon the sky scape. It felt almost fitting as after clouds comes the rain. As he shut the door behind him, Hibari's words shattered the tranquil moment and installed a lingering dread in his heart.

"Humans were never meant to be birds, Tsunayoshi."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi, for those who have stuck through this whole drabble series, thanks for the support and I hope you enjoy reading the chapter!**

* * *

"Does he always... You know..." Words clutched around his throat, stopped by an invisible vice grip that was unrelenting. The rest of his sentence trailed off before being replaced with silence.

Yamamoto was leaning against the fence, a heavy gaze thrown out towards the rest of Namimori. To his right was the disciplinary committee chairman who had followed the wayward raven as he skipped class.

The two held companionable peace as they made their way to the roof. The same roof they had been yesterday. The same roof Tsuna had **tried** to jump off.

The whole night, after last afternoon, had sent Yamamoto on a one way trip down the rabbit hole of his past. Through all his peers, through the thoughtless remarks by _friends,_ through the pressure of being the best, at being a reliable member his team mates could count. It brought upon horrible constrictions in his throat, a furious beating from within his heart and a breathlessness that made him feel hopeless.

He could still taste the bitter wind that became his halo and the biting of the devil from iron flakes of the metal fence.

And being weightless, weightless, weightless, weigthless...

_Tsuna saved me though, he showed me what friends truly were..._ But the fact his closest friend was doing this confused him.

Turning right, Yamamoto eyed the grim expression upon Hibari's face, a silent answer to his unsaid question.

"How... Long has he-"

"For a while now." His eyebrows creased as he was interrupted, sensing slight discomfort in his words. Scanning the other raven, Yamamoto tried to decipher what Hibari was feeling. Was he just as distressed as he was? Or had he grown to accept it?

"Have you been watching him from since the beginning?"

"No." _But I wish I did_ was what the baseballer could imagine him saying. He knew, even if Hibari acted so aloof, that he was as loyal to Tsuna as the rest of Tsuna's guardians. Just like he was the rain, Hibari was Tsuna's cloud, each of which carried the same responsibility as the rest of the guardians to protect and love...

Yamamoto felt shudders run through his body and felt himself lean in lethargy on the barred fence for support.

Support. _What support could he offer him?_

"Tsuna..."

* * *

"I wonder what you truly wish for Tsunayoshi when you sit in these high places." Said brunet had perched himself upon the roof of Kokuyo Land, sitting upon the roof's edge with arms around his bent legs. Mukuro very rarely saw the brunet come to their base after the confrontation with Daemon Spade and the battles with the Shimon family, but when he did, he usually found the brunet perched on their roof. Sometimes he was conversing with Chrome and at times soaked in the solitude their isolated base offered.

"Hello Mukuro."

"Hello to you too little Decimo. Is there a reason why you have graced us with your presence today instead of the skylarks?" He slowly paced himself, walking to stand beside the brunet. Amber dripped down his skin, its liquid drowning the brunet in sunset warmth before quietly rising.

_Infinite..._

"Yamamoto saw me yesterday. I think... I scared him abit." The mist guardian instantly knew what he was talking about, his boss's developing habit of death defying stunts. He certainly wasn't surprised. Apart from both him and the skylark, Tsunayoshi's guardians were soft hearted. So easily kind yet just as easily scared when confronted by the abnormal. All of his guardians though yearned for the same thing, including himself. For them, they could reach it vicariously through their sky. He was encompassing, accepting and their freedom came in the form of his words, his smiles and laughter.

Sawada didn't have the same luxury though... left to chase its wings in the probably the most scariest way for anyone other than the brunet himself.

"Well, I'm sure you gave him a reality check then."

"That's not nice Mukuro." His tone was scolding, yet also held underlying weariness.

"Then I'm sure your little stunt wasn't either." For the first time that afternoon, Tsunayoshi peered up from the landscape swept before them. His eyes reminded him almost of a desperate beggar, a man pleading for mere simple mercy from pain before changing to acceptance, then clarity and finally numbness.

* * *

_"Why don't you let me grant for wish, even just for a bit, Decimo?"_

_"Because, your illusions are not the real thing."_

_"But they can be though, all they need is your faith..."_

* * *

Mukuro observed his sky with both a mixture of fondness and incredulity as they both held onto the sun's silence as it fell below the horizon, a golden saffron that melted into indigo blue dusted with clouds and mist.

* * *

_"You know I hold much faith in your ability and your illusions Mukuro. Illusions though, as much as we may want, are not reality... and in them, I can't fly." _


End file.
